Obesity and Overweight

What Are Overweight and Obesity?

The terms "overweight" and "obesity" refer to body weight that's greater than what is considered healthy for a certain height.

The most useful measure of overweight and obesity is body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated from your height and weight. For more information about BMI, go to "How Are Overweight and Obesity Diagnosed?"

Overview

Millions of Americans and people worldwide are overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese puts you at risk for many health problems. The more body fat that you have and the more you weigh, the more likely you are to develop:

  • Coronary heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Gallstones
  • Breathing problems
  • Certain cancers

Your weight is the result of many factors. These factors include environment, family history and genetics, metabolism (the way your body changes food and oxygen into energy), behavior or habits, and more.

You can't change some factors, such as family history. However, you can change other factors, such as your lifestyle habits.

For example, follow a healthy eating plan and keep your calorie needs in mind. Be physically active and try to limit the amount of time that you're inactive.

Weight-loss medicines and surgery also are options for some people if lifestyle changes aren't enough.

Outlook

Reaching and staying at a healthy weight is a long-term challenge for people who are overweight or obese. But it also is a chance to lower your risk for other serious health problems. With the right treatment and motivation, it's possible to lose weight and lower your long-term disease risk.

Adult Overweight and Obesity in the U.S.

More than two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese (Ogden et al., 2014). In general, rates of overweight and obesity are higher for African-American and Hispanic women than Caucasian women, higher for Hispanic men than Caucasian and African-American men, higher in the South and Midwest, and tend to increase with age (Ogden et al., 2014; Gregg et al., 2009; Sherry et al., 2010). Research also shows that the heaviest Americans have become even heavier the past decade (Beydoun & Wang, 2009).

Racial-Ethnic Disparities

Recent national data show that 82.0 percent of Black women and 77.2 percent of Hispanic women are overweight or obese compared to 63.2 percent of White women (Ogden et al., 2014). In addition, over half of Black women are obese (versus 37.1 percent of Black men and 32.8 percent of White women) (Ogden et al., 2014). Extreme obesity continues to be higher among women (8.3 percent) than men (4.4 percent), especially among Black women who have more than double the rates of extreme obesity as White and Hispanic women (16.4 percent versus 7.4 percent and 7.6 percent) (Ogden et al., 2014). Rates of overweight or obesity are higher for Hispanic men (78.6 percent) compared to Black men (69.2 percent) and White men (71.4 percent) (Ogden et al., 2014).

    Pediatric Obesity Risk Factors

    Pediatric Obesity Risk Factors

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    Binge Eating in Young Children

    Binge Eating in Young Children

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    Bulimia Nervosa

    Bulimia Nervosa

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    Anorexia Nervosa

    Anorexia Nervosa

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    Definition and Incidence of Obesity

    Definition and Incidence of Obesity

    Obesity among children and adolescents is an increasing problem in the US ...

    Obesity Definitions

    Obesity Definitions

    A number of systems have been used to define and classify obesity ...

    The Biology of Obesity

    The Biology of Obesity

    The obese lack willpower; they overeat and underexercise ...

    The table below highlights these and other selected data on adult overweight and obesity from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

    Obesity and Overweight

    Obesity and Weight Loss
    What is new in obesity research?
    Overweight and obesity
    Obesity: Small Steps Help
    What can be done about obesity?
    Tackling the obesity epidemic
    Morbid Obesity
    Obesity
    Overweight, Obesity and Cancer
    Obesity hitting U.S. life expectancy
    Middle-aged obesity

    Causes of Obesity

    Medical Reasons for Obesity
    What Causes Obesity?
    Obesity: what to do ?
    Obesity: Who is to blame?
    Obesity becomes the norm
    Found - the obesity gene
    Obesity gene identified in mice
    Is obesity bad for you or not?
    Causes of Obesity
    Defining Overweight and Obesity
    How serious is obesity and being overweight?
    Bumper portions = obesity
    What are other factors associated with obesity?
    Puberty Gene May Be Linked to Obesity

    Childhood obesity

    Childhood obesity
    Obesity in children
    Rise of the overweight child
    Kids and Weight Loss
    Anti-obesity school programs
    Teens Obesity & Risk of Heart Proble
    Fighting obesity in your child
    Childhood Obesity a National Crisis
    Obesity Passed From Moms To Kids?
    Feeling overweight? Blame your parents
    Child obesity dragging down health gains
    Anti-obesity med safe in teens
    Obesity Raises Girls' Risk of Asthma
    Kids at risk for obesity need early attention
    Sweet drinks linked to preschool obesity
    Obesity Predicts Childhood Leukemia Relapse
    Childhood obesity leads to enlarged heart
    Parents don't see obesity in their children
    Risk Factors for Overweight Children